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Parallel Universes - "What if?" / Re: [2376] Entanglement of Chaos
Last post by RyeTanker -The ride back had been as unpleasant as expected with the straps tugging into what was certainly going to be a spectacular set of bruises for Zark. For the battered security officer, at least that was the main problem, and the pain did help to keep her awake. On the other hand, it was becoming hard to see as an eye was pretty much sealed shut from the swelling. It also didn't help that she was occasionally spitting out saliva and blood while coughing. Ensign Zark went ahead and sighed in relief when they reached the safe house and she undid the restraints. She could kind of see Ghin Torlan and another trooper dragging the unconscious Ontatt into the building while Eset came around and offered his arm and shoulder for the Andorian to get out of the vehicle. She'd groaned with a few of the steps and bumps despite her best efforts to keep her suffering quiet and let out another sigh of relief when she was laid out on a couch.
After checking to make sure the house was clean, the team commander signalled for a pair of troopers to drag the stirring Ontatt into another room. The Ompayan was led to a different room and both doors were closed. Ensign Zark had only gotten the briefest look inside the room that Ontatt had been taken into, and she got a glimpse of what looked like a chair that a dentist would use and she had to wonder what was going to happen next. Whatever it was, it seemed like a sound dampening system had kicked in as a slight hum could be heard from the room, but nothing else. Eset came by with a med kit and gave a wry smile. "Not going to complain, but it's time to repair all the breakage, so I'm going to have to open your suit and give you a few anesthetics. You good to proceed?" Zark gave a wan smile and nodded. There was only the faintest complaint as her body was exposed again, but at least this time, the person doing it meant well. "It looks much better when it's one colour." Zark joked through gummy lips. Trooper Eset chuckled. "I'm sure, not just lie there and relax." Zark did as she was told and a hiss caused the pain to lessen before tingling sensation began over her body as the dermal regenerator went to work. "Wonderful thing about peace, this model came from a tech transfer from your side. A very generous people, especially since we just recently stopped killing each other." The medic observed as he worked.
A shadow crossed the bruised Andorian's face and she looked up to see Enyd sitting nearby. She offered a crooked grin and listened as the diplomat. Zark didn't quite agree that this situation was not as bad, and still being in pain, she'd replied acidly with "That still doesn't mean you got the absolute shit beaten out of in any of these cases.". Zark waved a hand in front of her face quickly afterwards with a quick "Sorry. Yeah. It could have been worse." Eset pushed the hand back down with and admonition of "Stop moving, I'm working here." Zark sighed and listened to the back and forth while staying as still as possible.
Sighing, the steadily cleaned up Andorian listened to the banter between Enyd and Javec, and she had to grin. Enyd had just confessed something she wasn't willing to voice and out of the corner of her eye she watched to see what the Cardassian politicos response was going to be. She couldn't see what his tells were, but the Security Officer could have sworn she saw him stiffen at the admission coming into the open suddenly. It was so hard to say. Even looking at the grin he gave back was difficult to determine was it genuine affection? or a politicians response? Zark hoped it was the former since playing with someone's emotions was guaranteed to cause issues and create problems later in life. Her musings were brought to a halt with the announcement of "Done, now lie down for a bit..." Eset announced, but Zark didn't listen as she groaned a bit to get up. The Andorian stretched slowly then turned to place a hand on Enyd's shoulder. "That's right, I will keep you alive so if nothing else, I can see you squirm like a school girl later." Zark winked a long white lash at Enyd then turned to place a kiss on Eset's head. "Thanks sweetie."
Turning to the Ompayan, Zark smiled evilly. "If you'll give me a moment, I have some questions." She walked over and lifted the alien by the arm, giving it a good twist that elicited another wimper before frog marching her towards another door. Javec perhaps divined the Andorian's purpose and gripped her arm for a moment before looking into her eyes and he could see the danger in them. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Zark looked back. "I have questions, she's going to answer them." The Zhen smirked. "I'll be gentle with her." Javec didn't quite believe her, but let the arm go anyway. Maybe there was something to be gained from this, and they were in a secure location anyway. Zark nodded and turned to give Enyd a measuring look. It was possible this was going to be nasty and she didn't know the diplomat had the stomach for what could follow especially since she was no longer in a charitable mood anymore. The Cardassian medic had a good idea of what she was up to and grabbed the other arm of the bound tech and helped drag her into the room. It was bad timing in a way as the other door opened as the Ghin walked out with his hair in a mess and using a rag to wipe his hands. Splotches of black blood covered his hands and the leader's breathing was slightly elevated. "He's a tough one, I'll give him that. must have been from his Obsidian order training. I could swear he was a masochist the say he responded to us beating him. Seemed to get even more euphoric after I stabbed his thigh." The leader shrugged. "I'm going to have to use a different route. Maybe drugs would be better." He took a moment to look in the room and saw a couple of people were missing. "Where's blue fun bags?"
Zark and Eset sat the Ompayan down in the chair heavily and secured her arms and legs to a chair that was essentially bolted to the floor. Eset his a few buttons and a hum sounded. "The room should be dampened to sound. Zark nodded at this and slowly stretched her arms, hands, and neck. "As I said earlier, I have questions and you're going to answer them." Zark walked around the back of the Ompayan and grabbed the back of her neck, pulling it back hard so she could see the ceiling while whispering into her ear. "I'm going to be generous and overlook the fact that I got some new bruises thanks to you kicking me earlier, and in exchange for my leniency, you're going to first tell me who that money was for." It was an obvious answer, but this acted more as a control question to establish how truthful the interrogated was going to be. Maybe the tech had thought that the sign of leniency was a point she could exploit. "I'll be happy to tell you, but what do I get out of this?"
Zark smiled as she walked around the front of the alien, leaned over and placed and arm on her shoulder. The Andorian simply stared into the Ompayan's eyes and waited. The tech grew more nervous as she waited. Nervously she asked. " Something? Anything?" Zark's smile grew more fierce for a second and she drove a fist into the alien's gut that set her to coughing and wheezing.
When she had some breath back in her, she croaked out in disbelief. "But, but, you're Starfleet, you don't..... " The tech grunted again as Zark drove another hammer into her.
"This is now repaying you for making my life much more difficult. I'm in the mood to keep this up, so if you don't want me to start smashing in your face, answer my questions." The Andorian gripped the tech's chin hard and raised her head as she glared into the frightened eyes. "Who is the money going to?!" "Ontatt!!" The tech wailed in terror and Zark nodded. "See, not so bad, and the truth didn't even hurt." The Andorian turned around and sat on the edge of a table while Eset leaned against the door frame and looked bored. "So now you're going to tell me who set up the transfer and where it was coming from." Zark only cracked the tech once more across the face during the rest of questioning.